Frame device with a strip for removing broken glass fragments and sealing material



March 4. 1969 G. F. JOHNSTON 3,430,394

FRAME DEVICE WITH A STRIP FOR REMOVING BROKEN GLASS FRAGMENTS ANDSEALING MATERIAL Filed June 9, 1967 Sheet I of 2 March 4. 1969 G. F.JOHNST 3,430,394

FRAME DEVICE WITH A STRIP FOR R OV BROKEN GLASS FRAGMENTS AND SEALINGMAT AL I Filed June a, 1957 Sheet 2 0:2

United States Patent York Filed June 9, 1967, Ser. No. 645,010 US. Cl.52127 Int. Cl. E061) 7/22; E04g 23/02; E04c 2/54 7 Claims ABSTRACT OFTHE DISCLOSURE A metal strip is arranged along the inner surface of aframe in which a glass pane is secured by sealing material so thatremoval of broken glass from the frame is achieved by tearing out themetal strip.

It is conventional in the glass framing art to mount glass panes in asurrounding frame using adhesive sealing material of various types, suchas resinous mastic or the like, to secure the glass along its edges tothe frame. A problem which frequently arises in connection with suchstructures is that in the event of breakage of the glass, it is ratherdifiicult to remove the glass fragments still attached to the frame andto properly prepare the frame prior to installing and sealing a newglass pane therein. In many cases, it is necessary to resort to chippingout the remaining glass pieces from the frame grooves using a chisel orother tool, or to employ some other tedios or time-consuming method.

'It is an object of the invention to provide an improved glass windowframe which avoids the disadvantages of known structures of this type.

It is a particular object of the invention to provide a glass windowframe device which facilitates removal of glass particles from the framein the event of breakage of the glass and provides a clean frame surfacefor mounting and sealing a replacement glass pane.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the followingdescription and the appended claims.

With the above objects in view, the present invention relates to a framedevice comprising, in combination, a frame member defining a windowopening and having a window mounting surface extending along theopening, a glass pane mounted in the frame member covering the openingand having a peripheral edge arranged adjacent the mounting surface,adhesive sealing material arranged between the edge of the glass paneand the frame surface for adhesively bonding the same together, andstrip means arranged between the edge of the glass pane and the framesurface and being removable from the frame surface in the event ofbreakage of the glass pane for removing glass particles adhering to theframe surface.

The invention will be better understood from the following descriptiontaken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a view in elevation of a floodlight in which the inventionmay be embodied;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion of the FIGURE1 floodlight taken along the lines 2-2, showing the sealed joint betweenthe flood light frame and the glass window;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of a portion of the floodlight frameshowing removal of broken glass fragments therein in accordance with theinvention;

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG- URE 2 of a differentform of frame in which the invention may be embodied;

ice

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of a portion of a modified form of thetear-out strip of the invention; and

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary side view, partly in section, of a framedglass arrangement embodying a different form of tear-out strip.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown in FIG- URE 1 a floodlightin which the invention may typically be embodied and which comprises ahousing frame 1 defining a window opening covered by a transparentwindow pane 2, such as glass or the like, which is subject to breakage.As seen in FIGURE 2, frame 1 has a window mounting channel or groove 1ain which the peripheral edge of the glass pane is seated and wherein thelatter is secured in adherent sealing relation to the frame groovesurfaces by suitable adhesive sealing material 3, such as a resinousmastic, putty, elastomeric sealing compound, such as silicone rubber, orother adhesive bonding or glass setting material. Typically, suchsealing material is of semi-liquid or viscous form when initiallyapplied and then hardens or dies (cures) to a solid or semi-solid statein which it adhesively bonds the parts together. Usually, the sealingmaterial extends around the peripheral edge of the glass pane 2 andalong the adjacent margins of the opposite sides of the glass, as shown.In accordance with the invention, a flexible tear-out strip 4 isinterposed between the bottom of frame channel 1a and the edge of glasspane 2 extending along the entire frame joint. Tear-out strip 4 ispreferably a thin, strong, flexible metal strip member made, forexample, of carbon steel, stainless steel, copper, or the like. It mayalternatively be made of non-metallic material such as plastics,fiberglass, or other substances forming a strip of suitable strength andflexibility. The width of strip 4 is normally slightly less than thewidth of frame channel 1a and slightly greater than the thickness ofglass pane 2. In a typical embodiment, a carbon steel strip .015 thickand .25" wide may be satisfactorily employed.

Advantageously, a free end of strip 4 is arranged to protrude outwardlyfrom the frame channel joint, as seen in FIGURE 1, so as to beaccessible for pulling out the embedded strip in accordance with theinvention. In the event glass pane 2 should become broken and it isdesired to remove the glass remaining in the frame, it is only necessaryto grasp the free end of strip 4 and pull it out of the frame groove asshown in FIGURE 3, whereby the glass fragments remaining attached to thesealing material 3 in the frame are readily stripped out and removedfrom the entire frame. The frame is thus automatically cleaned andprepared for receiving a replacement glass window with a minimum of timeand effort and little or no risk of injury to the installer from theremaining glass particles during the removal thereof.

When being pulled out of the frame channel, strip 4 shears through thesealing material with its longitudinal edges so as to free the glassparticles from the frame, and it thus facilitates the removal of theremaining glass material. To further enhance such shearing action, theside edges 4b of strip 4 may be serrated as shown in FIGURE 5.

If desired, the tear-out strip may have a corrugated or undulate formalong its length, as shown by strip 40 in FIGURE 6, so as to serveadditionally as a resilient spacer means holding glass pane 2 inproperly centered position relative to the frame.

Although as shown in FIGURE 2 glass pane 2 is mounted in achannel-shaped rim of frame 1, the frame may simply be formed of angularsides as shown in FIG- URE 4, and glass pane 2 is adhesively secured tothe rearward face of the frame by sealing material 3 and spaced at itsperipheral edge from the frame by tear-out strip 4 which lines the framein that region, substantially as in the previously described embodiment.Frames with other forms of window mounting grooves or recesses obviouslycould be used in similar manner, if desired.

In a usual procedure employed in practicing the invention, glass pane 2is assembled in frame 1 by first lining the bottom of the frame grooveor recess with flexible tear-out strip 4 which is arranged with a freeend thereof projecting out of the frame, applying sealing material 3 inthe frame groove over strip 4 while the sealing material is insemi-liquid or viscous (uncured) condition, installing the glass pane inthe frame with its edges embedded in the sealing material, and thenallowing the sealing material to dry (cure) to firmly adhesively securethe glass to the frame.

It will be evident that the invention has application to a wide varietyof framed structures in addition to the floodlight illustrated, as forexample windows of buildings, vehicles, instruments, and numerous otherarticles and structures.

While the present invention has been described with reference toparticular embodiments thereof, it will be understood that numerousmodifications may be made by those skilled in the art without actuallydeparting from the scope of the invention. Therefore, the appendedclaims are intended to cover all such equivalent variations as comewithin the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates is:

1. A- frame device comprising, in combination, a frame member defining awindow opening and having a window mounting surface extending along saidopening, a breakable pane mounted in said frame member covering saidopening and having a peripheral edge arranged adjacent said mountingsurface, adhesive sealing material arranged between the periphery ofsaid breakable pane and said frame surface for adhesively bonding thesame together, strip means arranged between the peripheral edge of saidbreakable pane and said frame surface, and means for pulling out saidstrip means from said frame surface in the event of breakage of saidpane for removing particles of the pane adhering to the frame surface.

2. A device as defined in claim 1, said frame member being formed with achannel-shaped recess in which the peripheral edge of said pane isreceived, said adhesive material arranged in said recess, said stripmeans comprising a thin flexible strip member arranged lining th bottomof said frame recess.

3. A device as defined in claim 2, said strip member being slightlynarrower than said recess and slightly wider than the thickness of saidpane.

4. A device as defined in claim 2, said means comprising a free endportion of said strip member protruding outwardly from said framerecess.

5. A device as defined in claim 2, wherein said strip member hasserrated side edges.

6. A device as defined in claim 2, wherein said strip member is undulatein form.

7. The method of mounting a breakable pane in a frame having apane-mounting recess and removing the pane in the event of breakage,which comprises lining the bottom of said recess with a flexible stripmember, applying adhesive sealing material to said recess, mounting saidbreakable pane in said frame with its peripheral edge embedded in saidadhesive sealing material and in the event of breakage of said pane,tearing out said strip member for removing fragments of said paneadhesively attached to said frame recess.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 986,292 3/1911 Hunter 524012,583,978 1/1952 Watter et al. 49-466 X 2,838,810 6/1958 Englehart etal. 52-172 2,877,516 3/1959 Bobel 52172 X ALFRED C. PERHAM, PrimaryExaminer.

US. Cl. X.R.

